


Under Your Nose

by mithrel



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Blanket Permission, F/M, M/M, Podfic Welcome
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-07-27
Updated: 2009-07-27
Packaged: 2017-11-10 11:09:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/465590
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mithrel/pseuds/mithrel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin and Arthur have a fallout over Arthur wanting to marry Gwen despite Merlin's warnings that it won't turn out well.  Years later, Arthur realizes how right Merlin was. Merlin, as always, shows up just when Arthur needs him most, as he's been waiting to be needed again, all along.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Under Your Nose

Arthur stared into the fire, watching the flames consume the logs as the news had consumed his life.

“Arthur.”

“Leave me alone.” He didn’t want to talk to Merlin right now, didn’t want to talk to anyone. He especially didn’t want to hear “I told you so.” This was the worst he’d ever felt; worse than when his father died, worse than when he found out Merlin was a warlock. Gwen…

“No.”

“What?” Confused, he turned to Merlin.

“No, I’m not leaving you alone. You’ll brood yourself into oblivion if someone doesn’t snap you out of it.”

“And why shouldn’t I brood?” Arthur snarled. “She _betrayed_ me, Merlin, my _wife_ betrayed me, and with someone who swore eternal loyalty to me!”

It had been three days ago when the servant had crept into his room. “Sire, I must speak with you…”

Guinevere. Guinevere and _Lancelot!_ And the entire castle knew about it, or at least all the servants did, although they’d been sworn not to talk about it, even among themselves. Until one felt his loyalty to the King was more important than a promise made to the Queen.

He’d confronted her, raging, this close to striking her, but he’d held back. She’d cried and pleaded for his forgiveness, his understanding.

He’d turned away.

Lancelot had been banished, although they didn’t call it that. No, he was off on some Noble Quest that might take years to achieve. Arthur snorted.

“I understand you’re angry.”

“ _Angry?_ ” Arthur laughed bitterly. “Jesus, Merlin, I’m so much more than angry!”

“You should eat something.”

“I’m not hungry.”

“Do it anyway.”

Merlin went off, presumably to the kitchens, while Arthur thought about Gwen. She’d been so timid, always afraid of overstepping the bounds of propriety. As time went on she grew bolder, although she stayed as sweet-natured as ever.

When he’d begun courting her, Uther had been dead set against it. (“She’s a peasant, Arthur, you can’t make her Queen!”)

Morgana had supported them (of course) letting Gwen sneak off to see him whenever there was an opportunity.

Merlin had been against it as well. They’d fought about it.

“You shouldn’t do this!” Merlin had yelled at him.

“Why not?” Arthur demanded. “I love her, she loves me.” He smiled slightly, “She’d make a good queen.”

“It will end badly,” Merlin said. “Trust me.”

“Oh, yes? Is this some premonition you’ve had? Morgana _has_ the second sight, and she’s in favour of it!”

“Morgana can only see ahead for a few months! You shouldn’t–”

Arthur glared at him. “In case you’ve forgotten, Merlin, _I_ happen to be the king here, not you! I intend to marry Gwen, and nothing is going to stop me!”

“But–”

“End of discussion! If you don’t have anything constructive to say, you can get the hell out of my chambers!”

“Fine!” Merlin snapped back. “But when it blows up in your face, don’t say I didn’t warn you!”

He remembered their wedding day, three months after his father had died. Gwen had been radiant, the most beautiful he’d ever seen her, and he fell in love all over again. Morgana had hugged them both, congratulating them.

Merlin had been conspicuous by his absence, their relationship strained since the fight.

Merlin came clattering into the room with a plate of food. Arthur looked up.

“You shouldn’t be doing that, you’re my advisor now, not my servant.”

“And anyone else would listen when you said you’re not hungry. Now eat!”

Merlin stood over him, glaring, until he took a mouthful of the stew. It sat like a rock in his stomach.

He pushed the bowl away. Merlin pushed it back.

“Arthur, if you don’t eat you’re going to make yourself sick and Camelot needs its King.”

He sighed, and managed to eat half of the stew, although he didn’t think it would stay down.

Merlin smiled at him, and took the bowl away. “Get some rest.”

***

Over the next few days, Arthur didn’t sleep much. Merlin brought him sleeping potions when he complained, and they worked, but left him prey to the dreams.

Merlin bullied him into eating so often that Arthur gave up and started eating on his own.

He sat next to him in Council sessions, whispering whatever Arthur hadn’t heard because his mind had been wandering.

He looked over the reports Arthur had been given for approval, making sure he hadn’t missed anything vital.

He stayed near Arthur most of the day, even when they weren’t doing anything, sitting in his chambers reading.

Arthur had politely ignored Gwen, appearing with her in Court when necessary, but otherwise avoiding her. Merlin didn’t make any attempt to defend her, and Arthur actually once heard him yelling at her for “breaking Arthur’s heart.” He wasn’t sure whether to be touched, amused, or annoyed.

He couldn’t avoid her forever, of course. He had no children, and he couldn’t divorce her. The scandal when he’d married her had been bad enough. So he’d have to get an heir on her at some point.

The spectre of illegitimacy had hovered in the background, tormenting him, but Lancelot had been gone for months, and Gwen showed no sign of pregnancy.

He wasn’t being a King: he was relying on his advisor to correct his mistakes. He was letting the knights’ training slack. He didn’t listen to the news from the outlying villages, or attempt to pacify Camelot’s enemies.

He’d gone on a hunting trip, at Merlin’s urging, and taken him along. He had found himself enjoying it, complaining as Merlin, clumsy and loud, scared the game away. It was almost like before he had been crowned, when Merlin was only his servant. He could almost forget. Almost.

They’d returned without any game, but that hadn’t been the point of the trip. Arthur was in an immensely better humour, until they passed the gates.

Gwen had betrayed him. Lancelot had betrayed him. His father had died. He’d lost everyone he cared about, everyone he should have been able to trust.

Except Merlin. Merlin was always there.

***

Arthur nodded over the treaty he was reading for the fifteenth time. Merlin pulled it away.

“Hnh?” He blinked up at Merlin in confusion.

“You’re not actually seeing what you’re reading, and this treaty’s too important to be signed thoughtlessly. Get some rest.”

“S’the middle of the afternoon,” he protested.

“It doesn’t matter. The kingdom can run itself for a few hours while you take a nap.”

Merlin had that look about him, hands on his hips, chin jutting out stubbornly, eyes flashing. Arthur sighed.

“Alright.”

He pulled off his boots and lay down, as Merlin said, “I’ll see you’re not disturbed.”

He didn’t think he would sleep, but he must have been more tired than he thought.

_He walked next to Gwen, through the woods of Camelot. The sun caught her hair, and her eyes sparkled. She laughed at something he said, and he smiled back._

He came into their rooms to find Gwen in Lancelot’s arms. He fell to the ground weeping, broken and blind.

A hand fell on his shoulder. He shook it off, but it came back. Someone urged him to stand, let him lean on them, guided him away.

He could see nothing, nothing but Gwen and Lancelot, burned into his eyes.

There was an arm around his waist, and grass beneath his feet. He heard birdsong, and felt the sun on his face, though he saw nothing.

He was guided to lie down, and someone stroked his hair. Slowly, the vision of Gwen’s betrayal faded.

He sat up, and looked around. He was in a sun-drenched meadow at the edge of the forest, sitting on a blanket beneath a great tree.

He looked behind him, to see Merlin sitting on the blanket. He was the one who had led him out of the darkness.

Arthur woke up feeling completely refreshed and no longer so much in turmoil. He thought back on the dream.

He would have been troubled, but it was true. Merlin had been there for him from the beginning, had stood by him through good times and bad. He’d tried to warn him about Gwen, all those years ago, but Arthur had been too besotted or too stubborn to listen. He’d stood with him; not at his back, as a knight would have, nor at his feet, as a servant would have, but at his side, as a partner, even when others deserted him.

As if his thoughts had summoned him, Merlin entered his room. “You’re looking better,” he said, seeming pleased.

“I feel better,” Arthur admitted. “Merlin, I–thank you.”

Merlin looked at him curiously. “For what?”

“For being there for me.”

Merlin smiled softly. “I always will be.”


End file.
